A Longing for Liberty

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One of the things that the Holy Spirit gloriously does in this sorry world of ours is His liberating work. The Holy Spirit is an agent of liberty. The Spirit sets men free, and He does it through the gospel.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Is. 61:1).

The Lord Jesus quoted this verse in Luke, using it to describe the work that he had come to do (Luke 4:18). So this is in fact all about the gospel. But when that is said, there are too many Christians who might be tempted to say that they are glad I was not getting into politics. Oh, but I was getting into politics, because politics is part of everything, and the gospel gets into everything.

This Spirit of liberty is not a spirit of stoicism, which cares only for an internal liberation, where the slave is liberated by pure thoughts and cares not that his chains are clanking. There is an approximation of this in Paul’s exhortation to slaves, but note that Paul tells them to take the first door out when they have opportunity. “Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)” (1 Cor. 7:21, ESV). There is a stark difference between Christian teleological patience in affliction and a Stoic acquiescent patience in affliction.

Christian patience is all about patience as we await deliverance, which means that it knows which direction to look, to long, to pray, and to labor. This means that one of our central tasks as culturally engaged Christians is the task of advancing the blessings of liberty, real liberty — not the potsmoking kind. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17).

A people who are enslaved to their lusts will never be the kind of people who successfully throw off tyrants. We have been offered a series of bribes — free love, porn, drunkenness, government handouts, and other forms of lotus-eating — and these are the bribes that make us content with the dimensions of our prison cell. But a man set free by the gospel will be begin to think like a free man, and that will soon enough affect his body, his business, his travel plans, and so on. It is all grounded in obedience, and obedience is not possible apart from the grace of God that is offered to us in the gospel. Efficacious grace is first, and holiness second.

“So shall I keep thy law continually For ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty: For I seek thy precepts” (Ps. 119:44–45).

The verse that is inscribed on the Liberty Bell is this one:

“And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family” (Lev. 25:10).

That is why it is called the Liberty Bell. That is why we as a people used to be free. Jesus used to be with us.

Used to be free? Right. More on that later, along with what we should do about it. We need to learn the kind of obedience to God that is bane of all administrators of the royal prerogative.

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Len
Len
9 years ago

Governments love the religion of the amillennialist and the dispensationalist. The amillennialist says the world is doomed to get worse and worse so “resistance is futile” as the Borg would say. The dispensationalist believes the same thing, but that Jesus will ride in on His white horse and make everything ok. Meanwhile, they both retreat into the ghettos of their church buildings knowing that they’re going to get shot at if they stick their heads out of the door. Meanwhile, their prophesies of gloom fulfill themselves due to their inaction, and they point to this as proof that they are… Read more »

Eric Stampher
Eric Stampher
9 years ago

Ok. We’re with you. Get to that “more” business then!

Eric Stampher
Eric Stampher
9 years ago

Len

As one-a-them amillers, I’m mortally offended!

Seriously, there’s nothing in a millenialism proper that requires what you say. In fact, it’s Posties by necessity require a million year ghetto, as the can’t allow proclaim this here right now being success.

Tom N
9 years ago

Len, the operative word is “action.” As Doug is bringing this discussion together, the content of what the Bible develops is well expounded in the works of the Reformers and carried out in action. It is the roots of America born in Knox, Rutherford, Gillespie and a list of others. They all not only wrote from their Biblical references, preached from their pulpits – They put it to action. What I have observed traveling the country over these last three years that even in the various Reformed congregations words ,in many instances I call gibberish, are empty with intent and… Read more »

Curt Day
9 years ago

Regarding the liberty bell inscription, we need to remember that liberty was something that only one’s own group should enjoy. Those fighting for liberty against Great Britain certainly were jubilant about freeing America’s Indigenous people or Blacks.

BTW, free government handouts? So the government should say to us that we either make it in this world or die?

timothy
timothy
9 years ago

Regarding the liberty bell inscription, we need to remember that liberty was something that only one’s own group should enjoy. Those fighting for liberty against Great Britain certainly were jubilant about freeing America’s Indigenous people or Blacks. BTW, free government handouts? So the government should say to us that we either make it in this world or die? Curt, you are going to die, your precious state will not and cannot prevent that. If you are stupid enough to give it enough power, it will hasten your death. Your attitude towards government’s role in a free people’s lives is diametrically… Read more »

Jill Smith
Jill Smith
9 years ago

Timothy, I am not sure I would call it moral preening as Curt does raise questions that trouble me. I think I have a failure of imagination when I try to picture the society that Pastor Wilson would describe as having enjoyed true liberty, and when I try to envision the society he would want us to live in now. I wish I could be given concrete examples. Am I to picture life on the Ponderosa where Ben could fence his range without getting permits from the government? I can imagine that society as being very attractive–assuming that everyone was… Read more »

timothy
timothy
9 years ago

Hi Jill.

I am very tired from a long days work. I will try to respond tomorrow when I have a fresh mind.

cordially,

t

timothy
timothy
9 years ago

Good morning Jill. Looking at the issues you raise, I am struck that the pilgrims faced similar issues with the woman who had considered making the journey with them and instead preferred the known routines and mores of the time. The particulars where different but the issue was the same. Across the see lay a vast unknown future with difficulties, dangers, trials, death and freedom. In their present place lay grocery stores, known mores, shopping, warm fires, tea, hot water government run healthcare, ebt cards, massive welfare state, an edgy popular culture. The woman who stayed had her moral reasons… Read more »

timothy
timothy
9 years ago

erg.

“across the sea” not “across the see”

more coffee.

Jill Smith
Jill Smith
9 years ago

Hi Timothy, It took me a while to think about this. Is it craven to shrink from the unknown, or is it prudent? I agree that if I am offered something better than designer clothing, Netflix, and fine dining, I must be shallow indeed to cling to my Pradas. But, for most of us, the leading of the Spirit is mediated through other people. I am sure that when the people crossed the seas to go build a “holy” society in Jonestown, they thought they were being led by God. Do we not wish they had asked for details about… Read more »

timothy
timothy
9 years ago

Hi Jill.

Good morning.

Your caution is admirable, but…

But, for most of us, the leading of the Spirit is mediated through other people

and

I am sure that when the people crossed the seas to go build a “holy” society in Jonestown, they thought they were being led by God

Are alien thoughts to me.

timothy
timothy
9 years ago

Hi Jill,

But, for most of us, the leading of the Spirit is mediated through other people

Have you personally worked out your salvation with God? I am not talking ‘Pastor this’ or ‘Father that’; I am talking about you, Jill one-on-one with God, in the bottom of your soul, without self-deception or pretense knowing God without intermediaries.

Have you done that?

cordially,

t